Mobile data communication devices, including so-called smart phones, tablet computers, and other portable data handling devices (referred to herein generally as a user equipment or UE) are often arranged to access the Internet via a wireless data connection provided by a mobile data network. A UE may use a modem to establish a wireless data connection with the mobile data network. Such a mobile data network typically comprises an array of base stations geographically separated by one another, with the UE communicating with a nearby base station via a wireless signal. An example system currently in use is a so-called Third Generation Long Term Evolution system (3G LTE). Other mobile networks that may also be used are Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE), Global System for mobile Communications (GSM, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), cdmaOne, CDMA 2000, Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network technologies.
In order to save energy, a UE may make its modem block or circuitry dormant after a period of time has passed where a wireless data connection is no longer required. When a user is interested in running or using a particular application or “app” on the UE, the user may initialize the application by touching a button, by interacting with a UE user interface (UI) or by speaking a command to the UE. What is needed is an efficient method for changing the UE's modem block or circuitry from a dormant state to an active state so as to help minimize the amount of time it takes for the selected application to display application-related data to the user.